by Pam Eaton
Those striking eyes of his seem to soften. He nods his head as if answering a question only he can hear. He marches up to me, not breaking eye contact. His hand lifts, tracing up my arm, and that familiar jolt only heightens the tension already in the air. His hand moves farther up until he caresses the back of my neck. He slowly leans in, and his lips barely brush mine. He brings his head back a fraction of an inch. A look I don’t understand flashes across his face.
He leans in again and his lips firmly land on mine. There’s a surge of warmth and hunger that begins to fill the pit of my stomach, races through my fingers, and washes down my legs. I want more, I need more. This is amazing.
His other hand drops and grips my hip in a tight caress. I grip his arms and then slowly move them along his shoulders to his neck. His tongue lightly licks my bottom lip. Such a different sensation then I’ve ever felt before. I wish this moment in time would stop, or slow down, so I can continue living within it.
He pulls back and rests his forehead against mine. His warm, minty breath hits my still- tingling lips. He looks into my eyes and the softness suddenly fades. Soon fear takes over and he lifts his head quickly away from mine. “I just wanted to do that first,” he says, and steps away from me, walking back down the hall.
Huh? Do it first? And what was he suddenly afraid of? I stand there in complete silence as I watch him walk down the hall into his room. Peaking around a bedroom door, however, is Ania, and her jaw is on the floor. She starts motioning me to come into the room, but Tony. He’s waiting for me on the roof. I hold up a finger to tell Ania that I’ll be there in just a minute and head back out to the window.
He’s still lying on the blanket looking up at the sky when I poke my head out. My hands are shaking and my knees are trembling, but I do my best to play it cool. “Hey, Ania needs me to come and talk with her for a minute in her room.”
He scoots toward the window, looking concerned. “Everything okay?”
Maybe he doesn’t suspect what just happened; at least I pray he’s ignorant. I look away from him, just so he can’t read the look on my face. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Ania just really needs to talk to me about something private.”
I can see him trying to get a look at my averted face. “All right, I guess I’ll just see you in the morning then…unless you want to join me back out here later for some more stargazing?”
All I can do is smile and shake my head at him and his presumptions. “See you later, Casanova.”
I try to leave the room in a calm manner, but I end up racing down the hall to Ania’s. She’s sitting on the edge of her bed with her knee bobbing up and down. I walk in and sit next to her and stare at my shoes. I don’t even know what to think about what just happened. I don’t even know what to tell her.
The silence becomes too much for her. “Okay, I can’t take it anymore. What just went down out there in the hallway, and weren’t you just on the roof with Tony? And what did Gregory mean that he wanted to do that first? And, man, I’m getting too old for this stuff.”
My head spins from all the questions. She just keeps staring at me, perplexed. I start laughing uncontrollably, and her eyes widen at me like I’m a crazy person. Maybe I am. “This has got to be the strangest and most exhilarating night of my life.”
“Well, start from the beginning.”
I take a deep breath. “Tony and I were just hanging out on the roof.”
She makes a ‘keep going’ motion with her hand.
It’s like front row seats for a soap opera. I tell her all about our conversation on the roof, talking about our parents, the astronaut picking his nose… “And there was this moment, where he seemed like he was going to kiss me, but I think that’s because I’ve read way too many books.”
She taps her fingers on her knees and her eyes are looking at me, but really through me. “Did you want him to kiss you?”
“No.” My answer is swift and firm. “He’s fun and I love hanging out with him. But that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you’re around a guy you like, it wasn’t there. I bet he’s a good kisser, but it would just be attraction. Nothing deeper. Just surface feelings.”
She just blinks at me for a moment. I might have broken her.
“Wow. Yeah, I totally wasn’t like that as a teenager. I’d make out with whoever was willing. Well, within reason. Some guys are gross, even if they look gorgeous.”
We both laugh at her sudden bluntness, but she sobers quickly. “But, Becca, what are you doing? I’m actually disappointed more in Gregory. He knows better. And I don’t mean to sound like a mom, but these rules were put in place for a reason. You’re skirting a real fine line.”
What am I doing? What’s he doing?
“I’m not going to tell you what to do. But, are the consequences worth it?” she asks.
“I don’t even know what the consequences are.”
A shadow passes in front of her eyes. And I just know that whatever she’s about to tell me is a lie. “I don’t know either. But I can only assume it’s bad.”
She knows, but for some reason, she isn’t going to tell me.
I bid her good night and walk back toward my room. The window is open. Tony must still be on the roof. I stick my head out and see he’s still lying on the blanket staring at the sky. “Find anything else interesting trolling the skies?”
He looks over and a smile lights up his face. “No, just seeing what satellites are out there. Want to come back out here and I’ll show you?”
Somehow the past ten minutes have exhausted me more than any workout we’ve done so far. “I think it’s getting a little late and it’s about time for bed.”
He sighs like he’s disappointed and crouches back through the window. “All right, so do you want company in that bed?”
That same ever-present, smug grin is on his face.
“Very funny, but no one is spending any time in my bed but me.”
He snaps his fingers in displeasure. “It was worth a try.”
I smile at him, because he’s just so charming and smooth. As he heads toward the door, he yells over his shoulder, “Sweet dreams, Becca.”
Tonight has been so unreal, I can’t even begin to figure out how I feel about it. I just need to go to sleep and figure this whole thing out another day. There is one thing that I can’t deny, though. I would give anything for Gregory to kiss me again.
Twenty-Seven
Sitting at a desk across from me is Mr. Smith. His eyes are fixed on me and he looks pissed. My hands begin to sweat, but no matter how much I try to wipe them on my pants, the sweat keeps coming. He keeps tapping his pen on the desk. The sound of the tapping matches the beating of my heart. Ugh, I wish it would stop.
The air in the room seems to be getting thinner and I struggle to breathe. “Becca, you’ve broken the rules and have to suffer the consequences,” he says in a cool tone.
Before I even have the chance to plead my case, I’m being dragged out of the office by my hair and down the hallway. I’m kicking and thrashing, but the men dragging me pay no attention, and Mr. Smith follows with a sick grin across his face.
We arrive at a room completely covered in mirrors, letting me see every horror within the room. There’s a table in the center, covered in needles and scalpels. Two doctors, with their faces covered, wait beside it. The men dragging me pick me up and strap me down. And I keep fighting and thrashing, but it’s like they’ve got Ania’s super strength.
Mr. Smith leans in close to my ear. His breath smells like something rotted inside of him. “Your mom didn’t die from an overdose. She broke the rules as well, and when we finally found her, we took care of her. Just like now…we’re going to take care of you.”
He stands back up and starts to laugh hysterically. I keep trying to squirm and free my arms from the straps, but I’m cemented to the table. The doctors are inching in closer, poised with needles in their hands. I need to move!
Finally, I’m able to wrench a s
cream from my lips and hands are on my shoulders, vigorously shaking me. The doctors plunge their syringes into my arm. I squeeze my eyes tight, welcoming the darkness and pray for some sort of deliverance.
“Becca, you need to wake up now!”
Someone shouts at me in the darkness and I can’t see who it is. I try to break free, but I’m all tangled. I feel a hand caress my face and my body instantly relaxes. I would know that touch anywhere. Gregory.
My eyes crack open and he’s sitting on the edge of my bed, stroking my hair. “You’re having a bad dream, that’s all.”
My gaze darts around the room, trying to decide if this is a dream or reality. “No, I swear it was real. Mr. Smith was telling me that I was going to face the consequence for kissing you.”
I begin to breathe harder, and the panic in my voice is rising as well. Gregory continues to stroke my hair and has now freed my hand to hold it firmly in his. “I promise that you were just dreaming. Mr. Smith never needs to know about that kiss.”
My eyes begin to adjust to the darkness in the room and I can clearly see him staring down at me. At this moment he looks so strong, protective, and oh so comforting. A question has been lingering in my mind. “I need to ask you something.”
He traces his finger through my hairline. “You can, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to answer it.”
What a response. I can already feel his defenses going up. “You said that you wanted to kiss me first. What does that even mean?”
He turns his gaze away from me. Maybe this was the wrong time to ask this question; after all, he didn’t have to come in here and calm me down. I wish that he would have kissed me sooner. I wish he would kiss me now, but he’s holding so much back from me.
“You’re an amazing person, but I’m your mentor and I’m supposed to watch over you. But it felt right. And so I made a rash decision and kissed you.”
“Well…I would be okay with you making that ‘rash decision’ again.” If we’re being honest here.
Gregory smiles, pushes my hair out my face, and kisses my forehead. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.”
When morning comes, Ania and I decide to get an early start to avoid the awkwardness that might come at breakfast. I don’t know if she heard me freaking out last night. Granted, Tony has no idea what happened with Gregory out in the hall, but I know what happened. Ania still has no idea about Gregory coming to my room last night to soothe me from my troubled dreams.
We take off on our usual path to the clearing in the woods. I keep debating whether or not to tell her about my dream. But last night was especially terrifying. “Hey Ania, do you ever have nightmares?”
She raises an eyebrow in question. “Doesn’t everyone?”
That was not the answer I was looking for. “I guess what I mean is, do you still have terrifying nightmares?”
She stops dead in her tracks. “Are you having nightmares, Becca?”
I’ve got to unload this on her. “Ever since my mom died, I keep having these horrid nightmares. Gregory came into my room last night to calm me down from one.”
Her eyes widen. “Well, thank goodness for Gregory.”
I bite my tongue in impatience. “It wasn’t like that. I’m just grateful that someone woke me up.”
I tell her some of my nightmares and she listens to every word. I tell her about the dream I had on the way to the cabin and how some strange, cloaked man told me to question Gregory. I still have no clue what he was referring to.
Ania continues to stand there, completely silent. As soon as I’m done relaying my accounts to her, she sits down on the ground. I pace back and forth as the tension in the air starts to stir inside of me. “What do you think it means?” I ask.
When I look at her face, I see sadness. But that doesn’t make any sense. “Your mom told me once of nightmares she frequently had. She said that she never told anyone about them besides your father. She feared they were more than just your average nightmare. I echo her caution to you. Don’t tell anyone else about these dreams, not even Mr. Smith. Do you understand me?”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Is that all you’re going to tell me?”
She puts her head in her hands.
“Ania, you can’t tell me something like that and expect me not to want to know more. I’m tired of all the secrets. I know that I need to be trusting, but come on, you guys need to trust us as well.”
She finally raises her head and stares straight into my eyes. Her voice drops to the sound of a whisper and I can hear the reluctance in her voice. “Your father would have to calm her down a couple nights a week, but they weren’t just your normal nightmares. It was as if someone or something was trying to communicate with her. I didn’t know if I believed her at the time, but the nightmares were so vivid she had a hard time forgetting them, which seemed to be intentional.
“These dreams were almost prophetic in nature. Do you remember how Mr. Smith told you that you seemed different from your mom? She was never able to move herself like you can. She was fast, but not like you. She couldn’t transport herself.”
Ania stops and drops her gaze from me. “She only had those nightmares when she was pregnant with you.”
My eyes widen and I begin breathing deeper, faster. What does this mean? I don’t remember ever having nightmares like this until after my mom died. How could she have had them when she was pregnant with me, but I didn’t have them growing up? “This doesn’t make any sense.”
“I know it doesn’t. It didn’t make sense to your mom either. That’s one of the main reasons why she didn’t tell anyone. She didn’t know what it meant.”
I hesitated for a minute. “Do you think I should talk with Gregory?”
“I don’t think I can answer that for you. All I can do is offer my opinion, and I think you need to wait to tell him.”
Something else is bothering me. Why can’t I tell Mr. Smith? Not that I really want to, but the man has a way of getting me to say things I normally wouldn’t. Would he drag me back and have me examined like a lab rat? Would it change everything if he knew? Are any more strange things going to happen to me? I hope not, because I’m reaching my breaking point.
Twenty-Eight
Three weeks have passed. Three weeks of training. Of awkward meetings between Tony and me. Of heated glances with Gregory. And three weeks of making sure I’m never alone with either. Thank heavens for Ania. She’s like a chastity belt and Wonder Woman all rolled into one.
The sound of crunching gravel approaching the cabin is our only warning. Three weeks and it’s been quiet. Apparently that ends now.
As a car pulls into the driveway, Tony and I look at each other with raised brows. All awkwardness is instantly gone, replaced with worry. We step out onto the front porch. The car comes to a stop and when the door opens, out climbs Mr. Smith.
Tony puts a hand on my clenched fist and I immediately relax it.
Mr. Smith walks toward us and looks straight into my eyes, completely ignoring Tony next to me. Tony and I stand almost at attention, like we’re being greeted by an army general. Mr. Smith has the most intimidating presence. Tony still hasn’t been clued in to what I can do, but I have a feeling that with this visit, that’ll soon change. “How’s your training going?” he asks.
My palms begin to sweat. My anxiety is off the chart. I want to flee right this moment, but I know I can’t. “I think it’s going really well. No doubt Ania and Gregory can fill you in on my improvements.”
Mr. Smith walks toward the door and is immediately greeted by Gregory. After he enters our small cabin, Gregory signals for both of us to come inside as well.
Mr. Smith’s already standing at the fire place, in all his prestigious glory. We gather around him like children ready to be schooled. “Before I meet with all of you as a whole, I need to meet with Gregory, alone, preferably in the basement.”
We all share nervous glances. Guess it’s soundproof do
wn there. We all sit quietly, waiting for them to reappear. After fifteen minutes, Gregory comes up the stairs from the basement in quite a huff. “Becca, Mr. Smith wants to meet with you alone in the basement,” he says in a clipped tone.
The nightmare I had with Mr. Smith materializes in my mind. What’s waiting for me down in that basement? Has Gregory told him that I’m still somewhat unpredictable with my powers? Does he know about what happened here between Gregory and me? I guess I’ll find out soon, but fear is filling every crevice of me.
Mr. Smith sits in a chair facing an empty one. He motions for me to have a seat, patiently waiting to interrogate me. For a minute, we just stare at each other. I’m not making a sound until he does. “I want to tell you a story.”
Okay. Story time. I can roll with that.
“Several years ago, there was a relationship between a young woman and a young man. This girl was amazing. Her mere presence would light up a room. Everyone heeded her words and obeyed. The young man was loyal, strong, and attentive.”
I can feel the blood draining from my face and my body sinking deeper into the chair. “These two fell in love and got married, and it had disastrous effects. At first, it seemed like together they were unstoppable, the perfect team. They completed tasks quickly and efficiently, but then all that changed. When the young man died, the girl became unhinged. Her powers and Project Lightning reminded her of her husband, and because of that, she shunned us all. She lost that spark, her light diminished, and she could no longer complete any tasks. Do you know of whom I speak?”
I stare at Mr. Smith blankly, but my heart sinks because I know exactly who he’s speaking of. “My parents.”
He leans in close. “Yes. Your parents are the reason we no longer allow fraternization within Project Lightning. Not only did we lose your father tragically; we lost your mother on the same day. What’s worse, though, is that many watched your mother and began to doubt themselves. To see someone so high come crashing down so far, it affected everyone around her.”